Something is wrong at Zifa

AT one time, we thought everything was well at Zifa until information filtered through that the Zimbabwe Under 17 and Under 20 teams are still to be paid their allowances three months or so after their international participation.

This only happens in Zimbabwe as international football practice clearly dictates that players should receive appearance fees whenever representing their country in international football.

What was distasteful of the Nqobile Magwizi leadership was their response to parents that their children would not be considered for national duty again because they had sought for an explanation on the overdue allowances.

This in essence means Zifa were and are prepared to sacrifice and block out talented future Zimbabwe senior team players because their parents enquired about allowances, which Zifa themselves had promised.

What type of leadership is this coming from the men and women who were voted in to lead our football ? Instead of addressing the problem, Zifa are threatening the same players who left their homes, and sacrificed to represent their country. For that matter — under the worst of conditions.

Surely, is this the same Zifa board that the grouping calling itself the Zifa Assembly gave to Zimbabwe as its football leadership ? What exactly did the Zifa Assembly see in those men and women to warrant their votes ?

From what we have seen to far, we have been swayed to agree to the notion that the Zifa Assembly gave power to the wrong people to run our football and the earli

er that comes to their senses the better.

Some of us have always been in denial and refusing to accept the outside portrayal that this was turning out to be the worst Zifa board ever in history.

However, with each passing day, we seem to be shifting towards agreeing as each day, it is Zifa this, and Zifa that, and most — if not all of it — in bad light.

What is surprising is that Zifa officials have been on a world merry-go-round and burning thousands of dollars on useless trips while the pleas of the future of Zimbabwean football have been shut out.

Zifa president Nqobile Magwizi himself seems more obsessed in being in a plane and traveling around the world to sign useless MOUs when back at home, there are serious challenges he is ignoring.

Why even spend thousands of dollars on a new Zifa logo design instead of paying all those youngsters and inspire those at home to strive to do their best and represent Zimbabwe.

What was wrong with the old logo, and what is so special with the new one to spend all that money on ?

Surely, Zifa has destroyed the appetite, the zeal, and the will to play for Zimbabwe of the youngsters they have ill-treated and have also helped to discourage those aspiring to play for Zimbabwe from doing so.

Surely, everything has a beginning and now that this has happened to the Under 17s and Under 20s, it would not surprise should that extend to the Mighty Warriors and ultimately to the Warriors.

The question is : Are our Warriors safe under this Zifa leadership ahead of Afcon 2025 in Morocco ? The sad story of the Under 17s and Under 20s does not inspire confidence.